The Karnataka Cabinet has approved the decision to exempt residential buildings constructed on plots larger than 1,200 square feet within Bengaluru limits from the mandatory requirement of obtaining an Occupancy Certificate (OC). The move provides significant relief to homeowners who had been unable to secure electricity connections and other basic amenities due to the lack of an OC.
The decision follows months of public pressure after electricity supply authorities refused to provide legal connections to thousands of completed houses that did not have approved plans or occupancy clearances. Earlier, the Supreme Court had made OC a mandatory requirement for power connections, leaving more than 3.3 lakh completed buildings across Karnataka without access to electricity.
Under the new decision, structures built on plots exceeding 1,200 sq ft will become eligible for civic amenities such as power connections even if they lack an OC, provided they undergo verification and compliance checks. The Cabinet has said that this is being brought in as a one-time relief measure, with a new law to be framed specifically for this purpose. The government has clarified that while relief will be granted, it will not be unconditional, as penalties are planned for rule violations.
The exemption builds upon an earlier Cabinet decision that allowed waivers of the OC requirement for buildings up to 1,200 sq ft. With the latest expansion, both smaller and larger buildings will now be covered, significantly widening the scope of relief. Government officials explained that the move is intended to balance regulatory enforcement with the practical reality of large numbers of residents already living in houses without legal electricity or water supply.
However, not all large buildings will be automatically exempted. The government has retained powers to grant or deny relief selectively, depending on whether the structures meet safety and compliance criteria. The upcoming legal framework is expected to set out the details of verification processes and penalties.
Officials also pointed to practices in other states. In Mumbai, for example, over 25,000 buildings currently lack a legal OC, but municipal authorities continue to provide electricity and water connections on humanitarian grounds. The civic body does, however, levy additional charges per unit of water for societies functioning without OCs. This precedent has been cited in support of Karnataka’s decision to extend relief while also building in safeguards against continued violations.
The development is expected to benefit a large segment of homeowners in Bengaluru, many of whom have been forced to rely on illegal connections or temporary arrangements. Builders and residents have long argued that withholding electricity and water connections punishes homeowners for the lapses of developers. The Cabinet’s decision attempts to resolve this impasse by providing access to essential services while still holding violators accountable through fines and legal provisions.
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